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About warts and verrucas

Most people will have warts at some point in their life. They’re generally harmless and tend to go away on their own eventually, but this can take months or even years. 

What are warts? 

A wart is a small growth on a person’s hands or feet. It looks like a solid blister or a small cauliflower growth. They have a rough texture. Warts are often same colour as your skin and feel rough, but they also can be dark, brown or gray-black, flat, warty and smooth. Warts can have a hard ‘warty’ or ‘verrucous’ surface. 

You can often see a tiny black dot in the middle of each scaly spot, due to a clotted capillary blood vessel. There are various types of viral warts. Common warts arise most often on the back of fingers or toes, and on the knees.  

Viruses cause warts. Warts are the most common type of skin infection. They are infections of the skin with the human papilloma virus. Warts are benign, not cancerous, skin growths that develop on the skin. Verrucas, also called plantar warts, are a type of wart that affects the bottom of the feet.  

Most people will have warts at some point in their life. They’re generally harmless and tend to go away on their own eventually, but this can take months or even years. In children, even without treatment, 50% of warts disappear within 6 months and two-thirds of the warts are gone in 2 years. They are more persistent in adults but they clear up eventually. 

hands and feet

What is a verruca? 

Verrucas (plantar warts) are a type of wart that affect the bottom of the feet. The term ‘plantar warts’ is used for those that occur under the feet, as the bottom of your foot is its ‘plantar’ surface. They are either known as verrucas or plantar warts. Warts are the most common type of skin infection. They are infections of the skin with the human papilloma virus. 

Why do you get warts? 

Some people are more likely to get warts than others. Warts are contagious and spread easily by direct contact. Viruses cause warts and verrucas (plantar warts). The virus that causes warts is called human papillomavirus (HPV). The virus causes the top layer of skin to grow rapidly, forming a wart. More than 100 HPV subtypes are known. You are more likely to get infected by one of these viruses when your skin is damaged or cut in some way. 

Warts can spread via direct contact with the wart or something that touched the wart. This is called inoculation. Plane, or flat, warts can be very numerous and may be inoculated by shaving or scratching. You can infect yourself again by touching the wart and then touching another part of your body. You can infect another person by sharing used towels, razors, or other personal items. After you’ve had contact with HPV, it can take many months of slow growth beneath the skin before you notice a wart. It is unlikely that you will get a wart every time you come in contact with HPV. 

Common Symptoms

Warts usually occur on your fingers, feet or hands. They can be small, fleshy, grainy bumps. Flesh-coloured, white, pink or tan, they may feel rough when touched. And are sprinkled with black pinpoints, which are small clotted blood vessels 

Verruca or wart? 

Warts are small lumps that develop on the skin. Verrucas (plantar warts) are a type of wart that affect the bottom of the feet and hands. Warts and verrucas come in all shapes and sizes. They can affect any part of the body, but are more common on the hands and feet. 

What do verrucas look like? 

Verrucas develop on the soles of the feet. They are white. And often have a black dot in the centre. Verrucas tend to be flat. Verrucas can be painful if they’re on a weight-bearing part of the foot. 

What do warts look like? 

Warts tend to be round or oval-shaped but some are long and thin. They are usually firm and raised. They have a rough, irregular surface similar to a cauliflower and some are smooth. Warts vary in size, from less than 1mm to more than 1cm across. They can appear on their own or in a group. The growths can be painful or change in appearance or colour. 

Different types of warts

The characteristics and symptoms of warts depend on the type of warts. There are 8 categories of viral warts in general, usually classified by both their location on the body and their appearance.

Foot warts & Verrucas (Plantar warts)

The term ‘plantar warts’ is used for those warts that occur under the bottom of your feet. The bottom of your foot is its ‘plantar’ surface. These warts are also called verrucas because the latin word for them is verrucae. 

Verruca 

Verrucas are also called plantar warts. The term ‘plantar warts’ is used for those warts that occur under the bottom of your feet. The bottom of your foot is its ‘plantar’ surface.

Verrucas look like hard, thick patches of skin with dark specks. Plantar warts are sometimes located on the heel and toes. They usually grow back into the skin because the weight of the person, that pushes the warts onto the sole of the foot. Foot warts can be painful especially when present on weight-bearing areas of the foot during standing and walking. It is common for plantar warts to have clotted blood vessels appearing as black dot in the middle, with a surrounding hard, white area. 

Verrucas (plantar warts) include one or more tender inwardly growing ‘myrmecia’ on the sole of the foot. 

Mosaic wart

A mosaic wart is usually a group of Verrucas (plantar warts) tightly clustered together in a small area on the foot. Mosaic warts are most often due to untreated warts that grow to an inch or more in circumference of the foot. They spread into clusters of several warts. They often develop on the palms of the hands and as palmar warts on the soles of feet. 

Flat warts / Plane warts (verruca plana) 

Flat warts, also referred to as plane warts or water warts. They are flat, smooth and are normally round shaped. Their colour is usually yellowish, brownish or same colour as your skin. Plane warts often called juvenile warts, probably because they are seen most often in children. They arise usually on the face, hands, neck, or legs, and tend to grow in significant numbers of 20 to 100 all clustered together at a time Plane Warts are caused by the HPV virus. Water wart, or Molluscum contagiosum are caused by a poxvirus 

Seed wart or Common warts (verruca vulgaris) 

Common warts, also known as seed wart, arise most often on the backs of fingers or toes, and on the knees. Common warts can be easily recognized by the rough, cauliflower-like appearance of the surface. Common warts may appear anywhere on the body, but are most common on the knuckles, fingers, and elbows. These warts on hands and fingers are thickened bumps. And they are also known as papules or plaques. They may have some tiny black or dark dots. Those dots are clotted blood vessels. Often people think the dots are the actual wart “seed”. But they’re not. Common warts tend to cause no discomfort unless they are in areas of repeated friction or pressure

Warts are a very common skin condition caused by a virus that results in small growths on the skin. These are usually painless but they can be unsightly and can possibly become itchy or bothersome depending on the location of the warts. 

Why do warts itch? Friction on the wart is a possibility. If you have verrucas, the skin and the wart are in constant contact with your shoes or socks.  Or the wart is in contact with the floor when you’re walking barefoot. This contact will cause the area to itch. Another reason is the virus that caused the wart: HPV. Some of the HPV viruses have itching as one of their symptoms. 

  

Common warts appear on the hands as well as other parts of the body. If this type of warts appears on a part of the body, which is continually rubbed against, it may cause itching. 

Flat warts may also cause itching. Verrucas appear on the soles of the feet and is being in contact with socks, shoes or the hard surfaces of floors. This may cause itching to occur. Subungual or periungual warts – appear under and around the toenails or fingernails – which may cause itching. 

Although the above types of warts may cause some itching, there are two specific kinds of warts that cause an uncomfortable need to scratch. This includes: genital warts and molluscum contagiosum warts. Genital warts, which grow in the pubic area or in/on the vagina or around the anal or genital area, are considered very itchy. This is caused by HPV infection, and is one of the most widespread sexually transmitted diseases. 

Molluscum contagiosum warts have itching as its primary symptom. Molluscum contagiosum warts are sometimes called water warts. They appear on the skin of the chest, upper thighs, and abdomen and occasionally on the mucous membranes. Unlike common warts, this type has a flesh-coloured appearance with a dimple in the center and usually occurs in clusters. Infections happen often in swimming pools, day care centers, schools and at work. This type of warts is closely related to and caused by a poxvirus. 

Black wart 

Seborrhoeic warts or black warts are are always begign, thus non-cancerous warty growths that occur on the skin. They usually do not need any treatment. Seborrhoeic warts used to be called senile warts. They usually look like greasy or crusty spots that seem to be stuck on to the skin. The colour varies but usually they are dark brown or black. 

Senile warts are usually round although they can also be oval in shape. Some seborrhoeic warts have an irregular shape. Their size can vary from around one centimeter to several centimeters in diameter. Seborrhoeic warts tend first to appear around the age of 40. Some families have a predisposition to this type of warts. The actual cause of seborrhoeic warts is unknown. It is more common to develop several seborrhoeic warts as you become older. Also, as time goes by, each wart tends to grow slightly and become darker. They can occur anywhere on your body, other than on your palms or soles. Senile warts do not spread and they are not cancerous. The main problem is that they can sometimes look unsightly, particularly if they develop on your face.  

Brown wart 

Brown warts are also seborrhoeic keratoses like black. Like black warts this is a basal cell papilloma. Seborrhoeic keratoses are very common harmless, often pigmented, growths on the skin. In the UK more than half the men and more than third of women would have at least one black or brown wart. By the age of 40 30% of the population is affected. By the age of 70 it increases to 75%. They are also found in younger people. Seborrhoeic keratoses are harmless, but are often considered to be a nuisance. They can itch, become inflamed, and catch on clothing. Many people dislike the look of them, particularly when they occur on the face.  

Seborrhoeic keratoses have a rough surface, and range in colour from golden brown to mid brown to almost black. They can affect anyone, but on dark- skinned people they can also appear as multiple small dark brown or black bumps, especially on the face and the neck; in such a case this is called Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra. Seborrhoeic keratoses can cause worry by becoming inflamed or bleeding. If there is any doubt, a skin biopsy can be done to confirm the diagnosis. Individual seborrhoeic keratoses can be removed successfully. However, new seborrhoeic keratoses will continue to appear. Removal may not be funded by the local NHS service.  

It is recommended that you see a GP if your warts are painful, rapidly multiplying, interfering with any of your daily activities, are unresponsive to home treatments, or if any of them change in appearance or colour.

Other types of common warts

Periungual warts prefer to grow at the sides or under the nails and can distort nail growth.  

Filiform warts, they’re the kind that witches in movies and fairy tale books have on their chins or noses. A filiform wart has a finger-like shape and usually is flesh-coloured. It often grows on or around the mouth, eyes, or nose. 

Genital warts are often transmitted sexually and grow on genitals. Genital warts predispose to cervical, penile and vulval cancer. See your GP if you have genital warts or you’re not sure

How do you get warts? 

Different HPV (human papilloma virus) strains cause warts. Warts have a rough texture because the virus forms keratin, which is a hard protein on the top layer of the skin, and it grows fast. 

The wart-causing virus can be passed on by close skin-to-skin contact, as well as through contact with towels or shoes, used by people that have warts. Once a towel is wash, it no longer has the ability to inoculate warts. The wart-causing virus can be spread to other parts of the body when the wart gets damaged by for example shaving, scratching, or biting the wart. Biting fingernails can cause warts to spread on the fingertips and around nails. 

Getting warts is related to the immune systems.  Some of us may develop warts when we come into contact with HPV, while others don’t. The risk of catching warts from another person is fairly small, but it exists. Genital warts are much more contagious.  An individual who has damaged or wet skin, or comes into contact with rough surfaces is more likely to catch the infection. 

How do you get verrucas? 

The HPV-virus strains cause warts. The wart-causing virus can be passed on by close skin-to-skin contact, as well as through contact with towels, socks or shoes. A person whose skin is damaged, wet, or comes into contact with rough surfaces is more likely to catch the infection. For example, a person with scratches or cuts on the soles of their feet is more likely to catch verrucas in and around public swimming pools. 

Verrucas and swimming 

A person whose skin is damaged, wet, or comes into contact with rough surfaces is more likely to catch the infection. For example, a person with scratches or cuts on the soles of their feet is more likely to catch verrucas in and around public swimming pools. Wear flip-flops in communal showers. And cover your wart or verruca with a waterproof plaster when you go swimming to prevent contaminating others. 

feet in swimming pool

Are warts contagious?

Each person’s immune system responds differently to HPV. Not everyone who comes in contact with it develops warts. Even people within the same family react to the virus differently. The HPV strains that cause verrucas (plantar warts) aren’t highly contagious. 

So the virus isn’t easily transmitted by direct contact from one person to another. But it thrives in warm, moist environments. Warts and verrucas are usually caused by direct skin contact or contact with surfaces contaminated with the human papilloma virus (HPV). 

Warts are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). This causes an excess of a substance called keratin to develop in the top layer of your skin, resulting in a hard, rough lump. Warts don’t spread easily, but they can be passed on from person to person through close skin contact or contact with contaminated objects or surfaces, such as: towels, shaving gear, nail files or pumice stones, shoes and socks, areas around swimming pools, floors of communal changing areas etc. Once towels and other gear, that came in contact with a wart, is washed with soap and rinsed, these objects are no longer able to contaminate others with the wart virus. 

It’s difficult to prevent warts and verrucas completely. But you’re more likely to get infected  

if your skin is wet or damaged. After becoming infected, it can take weeks or even months for a wart or verruca to appear. Preventing warts and verrucas is easy but anyone will come in contact with the wart-virus HPV in some point of their live. Remember – there’s no reason why you can’t continue to take part in activities, such as sports or swimming, if you have a wart or verruca. It’s a good idea to cover your wart with a plaster. If you go barefoot in communal areas, you may want to wear a verruca sock. 

Verrucas are caused by an infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) in the outer layer of skin on the soles of your feet. 

More than 100 strains of HPV exist, but only a few cause warts on your feet. Other types of HPV are more likely to cause warts on other areas of your skin or on mucous membranes. Each person’s immune system responds differently to HPV. Not everyone who comes in contact with it develops warts. Even people in the same family react to the virus differently. 

The HPV strains that cause verrucas aren’t highly contagious. So the virus isn’t easily transmitted by direct contact from one person to another. But it thrives in warm, moist environments. Consequently, you may contract the virus by walking barefoot around swimming pools, communal showers or locker rooms. If the virus spreads from the first site of infection, more warts may appear. 

The virus needs to have a point of entry into the skin of the foot: 

  • Cracks in dry skin 
  • Cuts or scrapes
  • Wet, softened, fragile skin from being in the water a long time 

Wart virus

The wart-causing virus can be passed on by close skin-to-skin contact, as well as through contact with towels, socks or shoes. A person whose skin is damaged, wet, or comes into contact with rough surfaces is more likely to catch the infection. For example, a person with scratches or cuts on the soles of their feet is more likely to catch verrucas in and around public swimming pools. It’s hard to completely avoid coming into contact with the wart-causing virus HPV. Taking the following precautions can help prevent warts and verrucas: 

  • Wear flip-flops in communal showers.
  • Cover your wart or verruca with a waterproof plaster when you go swimming
  • Avoid touching other peoples warts, as well as sharing towels, socks or shoes
  • Don’t share your towels, shoes or socks
  • Don’t scratch or pick your wart or verruca as it’s more likely to spread
  • If you use nail files or pumice stones on your wart or verruca don’t use these on other areas of your skin
  • Prevent shaving over warts on your your face, legs or other parts of the body. This can make the wart-causing virus to spread
  • Prevent scratches or bites in a wart
  • Avoid biting fingernails

As we all have different immune systems some of us may develop warts when we come into contact with HPV, while others don’t. The risk of catching warts from another person is fairly small, but it exists. Genital warts are much more contagious. 

Warts on feet 

Foot warts, also known as verrucas, are caused by the human papillomavirus. HPV is everywhere. It can be spread from person to person. 

feet

 
But coming into contact with surfaces that can harbor the virus can also infect you. These include warm, damp places, like the inside of your shoe or the floor of a public pool, gym or shower room. The virus often incubates for a period of weeks or months. But once this period is over, a single wart or even a cluster of warts can appear at any time. The good news is that the older you get, the less likely you are to develop new warts. This is due to your body’s increased immune response to the HPV virus over time.  

Verrucas are flat and rough and usually have very distinct edges. They’re fleshy or brownish in colour and they have small black spots in the center. The black dots are the ends of dried up blood vessels. 

Because warts live off our blood they take longer to heal and patience is required where a corn can be often got rid of in a few days. Warts need to be treated with a strong treatment that not only removes the wart but also kills the root of the verrucas for good. Warts and verrucas (planter warts)

Toe warts 

Toe warts are part of the human papilloma family and like corns they grow inwards in your foot and toes. Toe warts are a type of verrucas. Verrucas suck into your blood system so they can live happily and for a long time, as they love warm feet.  

Verrucas are heavily calloused and the wart has a cauliflower like appearance with lots of black spots within the wart. They bleed easily and the callous build up can make the verrucas uncomfortable to walk on

Foot warts 

Verrucas and verrucas are a type of wart that affect the bottom of the feet. Pressure makes them to grow inward. Verrucas suck into your blood system so they can live happily and for a long time and they love warm feet. 

Warts occur in a variety of shapes and sizes. A wart may appear as a bump with a rough surface on the toe, or it may be flatter like verrucas. Verrucas can develop on any part of the foot. As the callus and wart get larger, walking can become painful, much like walking with a pebble in your shoe. When pressure from standing or walking pushes verrucas beneath the skin’s surface, a layer of thick, tough skin, similar to a callus develops over it. Sometimes dark specks are visible beneath the surface of the wart. Warts cover the lines and creases in the skin, this is one way to tell a wart from other skin conditions, such as skin tags or moles. 

Because warts live off our blood, they take longer to heal and patience is required where a corn can be often got rid of in a few days. Warts need to be treated with a strong treatment that not only removes the wart but also kills the root of the verrucas for good. 

Always wear flip flops in common used areas like gyms, swimming pools and changing rooms to prevent contamination. 

Verruca 

The term verruca, or ‘plantar warts’ is used for those warts that occur under the bottom of feet. The bottom of your foot is its ‘plantar’ surface. These warts are also called verrucas.  

Verrucas are sometimes located on the heel and toes. Verrucas look like hard, thick patches of skin with dark specks. They usually grow back into the skin because the weight of the person, that pushes the warts onto the sole of the foot. Foot warts can be painful, especially when present on weight-bearing areas of the foot during standing and walking. It is common for verrucas to have clotted blood vessels appearing as black dot in the middle, with a surrounding hard, white area.  

Verrucas include one or more tender inwardly growing ‘myrmecia’ on the sole of the foot. 

Body warts 

Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are at least 100 different forms of HPV that cause warts in various parts of the body. Though warts may be unsightly, they are generally harmless, though they can spread to other parts of the body. 

Everyone’s immune system responds differently to warts. A person could be exposed to the virus and not develop warts. Other can have many warts at one the same time. When you develop many warts at once, it may be worth visiting a health care provider. A GP could help determine the best treatment option as well as confirm that all these bumps that have appeared on your torso, face, and neck are, in fact, warts. 

There are four primary types of warts (i.e., different forms of the virus have preferences for cells in specific locations of the body), which include:

  • Common warts (the kind that grow on hands or fingers) 
  • Plantar warts (these grow on the feet) 
  • Flat warts (grow on hands, knees and legs) 
  • Genital (pretty self-explanatory) 

Warts legs, knees and elbow 

The warts that grow as tiny benign, harmless skin growths on legs, knees and elbow are flat warts. They can develop anywhere on the skin, but most common sites include knee, leg, arm and elbow. This thickened skin growths have well defined margin. They are common in children, but adults too can get affected with these viral warts. They are transmissible. Their incubation period is 90 days. Most of these waterwarts are the same colour as your skin with a rough or plain surface. They can occur singly or in groups. In many cases they disappear on their own within 6 months without treatment, but sometimes they may persist even for one or two years. 

Warts may require treatment if they become enlarged and painful. Many people want to remove them because of cosmetic reasons, especially when they are present on exposed parts of the body.

Warts on hands & fingers 

It is common for warts to grow on fingers and hands. Although warts can be bothersome in some ways, despite their appearance, most warts are harmless. However, this does not mean that warts should simply be ignored. Most people do not want to develop complications later on, and they do not want warts to affect the appearance of their skin 

Common warts or seed warts are small, grainy skin growths that occur most often on your fingers or hands. These warts feel tough when touched.  Common warts or seed warts often feature a pattern of tiny black dots — sometimes called seeds — which are small, clotted blood vessels 

Common warts are caused by a virus and are transmitted by touch. Children and young adults are more likely to develop common warts on fingers and hands. Common warts usually disappear after a while, but many people choose to remove them because they find them bothersome or embarrassing

Hand warts 

Palmer warts occur on the hands, and verrucas grow on the bottom of the foot. 

On average palmer warts are small, about the size of a pencil eraser. But some warts grow bigger. Sometimes palmer warts can grow in clusters; those are called mosaic warts.  

In some warts, little black dots appear, leading people to call them “seed” warts. Palmer warts stick up above the skin of the hand. The risk of getting a hand wart from another person is small. A person’s risk of getting a wart varies. Those with a weakened immune system are more susceptible. But those with healthy immune systems can also develop warts. Virtually everyone will have warts at some point in their life. 

Finger warts 

Finger warts are small, grainy growths on fingers; they can be fleshy depending on where they are. Warts on fingers come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. Most often they are round, white and have a black dot in the middle, this is a clotted blood vessel. The blood vessels grow into the core of the wart to supply it with blood. Warts on the hands and fingers are not cancerous. Warts on fingers are usually more pronounced than on feet. Warts are usually painless. But a wart that grows in a spot where you have a pressure point, on a finger or under your feet, can be painful. Children hate finger warts, especially the fleshy variety; no one wants to “hold hands” in the playground if you have a wart. By picking or biting them they will bleed, and tend to spread easier. 

Verruca on the hand

Warts and verrucas (plantar warts) come in all shapes and sizes. They can affect any part of the body, but are more common on the hands and feet. Verrucas, which are warts on the feet, are infectious lumps that also crop up on the hands, and occur in about 5% of children. They are caused by a type of human papilloma virus that enters through direct contact with the skin. Children and teenagers are most at risk but some people seem to be more susceptible than others. Verrucas are small, grainy or fleshy growths depending on where they are. They are round, often white and have a black dot in the middle (from a blood vessel). Warts don’t usually hurt (except for those emotional scars), but if they grow on pressured places they tend to be painfull.

hands

Infected warts 

Warts are caused by viral infections, though they sometimes are accompanied by pus and blood, which is caused by bacteria. Treating a wart with pus usually involves the use of topical or oral antibiotics, and occasionally, your GP will recommend a combination of both. 

Warts containing pus are highly contagious, and the infection can easily spread to other people and to different parts of the body. Also call the GP if a wart or the skin around it is: 

  • Painful 
  • Red
  • Bleeding 
  • Swollen 
  • Oozing pus 

Hot compresses should be applied to a wart with pus to facilitate healing and to promote the drainage of pus. A wart with pus should never be lanced at home in an attempt to drain the pus, because this could worsen the infection and cause it to spread. A hot compress can be applied several times a day, however, a clean compress should be used each time to avoid reintroducing bacteria to the area. Symptoms of a wart with pus can also include inflammation at the site, redness, pain, and an increase in temperature over the area. Fever, chills, and body aches can also occur if the infection becomes systemic. 

The colour of pus can vary and can range from a light straw colour to dark brown, or even black. Red or pink pus is caused by the combination of blood and pus, however, this does not indicate a more serious infection than pus without blood. Also, pus can be watery in consistency, or thick and sticky. Again, the consistency or amount of pus is not a reflection of the seriousness or type of infection. 

If a wart with pus begins to drain on its own, the area should be gently washed with mild soap and warm water. An over-the-counter antibacterial ointment can then be applied, and the area should be covered with a sterile bandage. If the wart continues to drain pus, it should be kept covered to avoid spreading the infection, and you should notify your GP. 

Painful verruca 

Verrucas are plantar warts found particularly over the pressure areas of the feet (heel and ball). They may cause pain, particularly with walking. Occasionally leg or back pain may result from altered posture or gait disturbance. A wart on the sole of the foot is more likely to cause discomfort than warts in other areas such as the hands. Pain is reason to consider treatment. If you have a verruca and also have diabetes or another medical condition that makes you prone to infections or slow to heal, see your doctor. A verucca can get infected. In people with diabetes, foot infections do not heal easily. 

Corn vs Wart 

People often confuse verrucas (plantar warts) and corns because they look so similar and also appear in the same areas of the feet. Even doctors sometimes find it difficult to make a right diagnosis. However, verrucas and corns are completely different. Although warts can appear all over the body, corns are only found on the feet. The main differences between verrucas and corns are in location, appearance and number. 

Verrucas mainly occur on the heel and the ball of the foot or the underside of the big toe. Corns usually occur between and on top of the toes but occasionally they can also appear on the ball and the heel. The appearance of a wart will have a dry, crusty surface with tiny black dots deep inside while the corn will have a surface which is thick and callused and there will be no black dots. The warts often develop in clusters while corns are always single and may be found in several different areas on the same foot. Verrucas are often passed on when walking barefooted on communal surfaces such as public swimming pools and showers. They are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) and are contagious. Direct contact with the virus can infect your skin through a scratch. The virus then grows inward, causing thickening and damage to the skin and the appearance of warts. 

Corns usually appear when a prominent bone in the foot presses against the inside of your shoe. The pressure causes the skin to thicken just at that point making a hard surface. This hard surface then becomes the core of the corn that penetrates deep into the foot. The corn becomes cone-shaped with the point facing inward which in turn presses into the foot cause pain. This can become very uncomfortable and feels as if you are walking with a stone in your shoe. Corns are not contagious but warts are. 

Wart treatment 

Home remedies are for many people the first step in trying to remove a wart. Some of these treatments can be successful, but they usually take longer to work or may not work at all. But most important: boost your immune system and stop the spread of warts. Work on prevention; avoid walking barefoot, don’t share personal hygiene items, and avoid touching all verrucas, yours and everyone else’s. Wear flipflops in communal wet areas, such as sauna’s, pool’s and showers at sports centers. 

Treatment will always depend on how compliant you are to the treatment you chose and how “stubborn” your wart is. Most treaments usually requires a couple of weeks to months. 

Fastest verruca removal 

Pharmacy treatments include: creams, gels, skin paints and medicated plasters containing salicylic acid – these peel the top layer of affected skin. Cold sprays containing dimethyl ether propane – these freeze the wart, but they’re not thought to work as well as salicylic acid 

The most effective option is treatment with salicylic acid plus cryotherapy. A meta-analysis showed that a combined therapy of salicylic acid and cryotherapy had a higher cure rate than either salicylic acid or cryotherapy alone. In between the freezing sessions, you apply salicylic acid daily to your wart. You should not use the salicylic acid until any blistering, scabs or soreness from the cryotherapy have settled. 

Aside from the use of salicylic acid and cryotherapy there is insufficient evidence to support the use of other therapies. Higher quality evidence is needed to evaluate other therapies such as Duct tape and the other home remedies describe in part 18. -> [link to 18] 

When choosing for cryotherapy, Wartie is superior in effectiveness compared to the three most used OTC cryotherapy products. Wartie will freeze the wart more and longer than OTC competitors. 

Wartie is easier to use for the consumer, and provides unique features making it superior in OTC cryotherapy and faster in use. Wartie ‘s pin-pointed accuracy can be shown by thermal imaging. The tip of Wartie has a diameter of 5mm, which is the average size of a wart. 

Best freezing performance 

Ex vivo laboratory testing has shown that Wartie has a superior freezing profile to other available over-the-counter products. Its freezing  

profile is comparable to products used by professionals to remove warts. 

*Dermatological research has shown that after the application the wart should remain below the freezing point during at least 30 seconds to ensure maximum effectiveness. Wartie Wart & Verruca remover realizes this ambition. 

Source: Br J Dermatol. 2011 Aug;165(2):233-46. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2011.10218.x. Epub 2011 May 26.Efficacy of topical treatments for cutaneous warts: a meta-analysis and pooled analysis of randomized controlled trials.Kwok CS1, Holland R, Gibbs S. 

Verruca cure 

Time is the only “cure” for verrucas.  Whatever you do they usually go away by themselves – unless you have an underlying condition that affects your immune system. The downside of the matter is, it takes quite some time for verrucas to disappear. Three out of 10 warts will disappear within 10 weeks. Within two years, two-thirds of all warts will be gone without treatment. But if you’ve still got them after two years they are less likely to go on their own. Warts seem to last longer in older children and adults. 

How to remove warts 

However, you may want to consider treatment to get rid of your wart. There are many different types of treatment for warts but none works completely and doctors still aren’t sure which ones work best. It’s not unusual for your wart to return after treatment. The most commonly used treatments for warts and verrucas (plantar warts) are those containing salicylic acid and cryotherapy (freezing). 

Best (freezing) wart removal at home 

Wartie is comparable to professional freezing treatments. Wartie® freezes the wart or verrucas (plantar warts) to the core, due to its unique precision tip, resulting in the removal of the wart. The shape of the Wartie precision metal tip allows accurate application limited to the wart or verrucas (plantar warts), avoiding the surrounding healthy skin, resulting in a better pain-free application. The unique metal tip ensures efficient transfer of the freezing treatment to the wart which is maintained below 0  degrees Celsius for a longer period than other products on the market. 

After the application of Wartie the wart or verruca will fall off within the next 14 days.  One application should be sufficient to successfully remove the wart or verruca. Should a second treatment be necessary, allow 14 days between applications. 

Cure of warts  

Time is the only “cure” for verrucas.  Whatever you do, they usually go away by themselves – unless you have an underlying condition that affects your immune system. The bad thing is, it takes quite some time for them to disappear. Three out of 10 warts will disappear within 10 weeks. Within two years, two-thirds of all warts will be gone without treatment. But if you’ve still got them after two years they are less likely to go on their own. Warts seem to last longer in older children and adults. 

Freezing warts at home

Freezing a wart at home is cryotherapy using a very cold substance. Cryotherapy is a common treatment for warts and can be done in a doctor’s office or using various products available over-the-counter. The freezing of the skin causes damage to the cells housing and protecting the wart. The wart can develop a blister underneath and makes the wart falls off. Or damaged skin cells are discarded by the body, including the tissue of the wart and virus infected tissue. The application usually takes less than a minute and results are seen within one or two weeks. 

After treatment the wart naturally falls off within a couple of weeks. The treatment is considered very safe and there is little risk of scarring. Recently, advanced versions have been made in the use of Cryotherapy. These advanced versions freeze the wart with millimeter precision, thereby causing less discomfort and minimizing any freezing of the surrounding skin. 

Cryotherapy warts Liquid nitrogen

Cryotherapy is the standard treatment for wart removal and has been successfully used for many years by health care professionals. Traditionally liquid nitrogen has been used to freeze the wart, thereby destroying the tissue and the blood supply to the wart. 

Cryotherapy is a standard treatment for warts and can be done by a GP. The liquid nitrogen application usually takes less than a minute. Your doctor may trim the wart with a small knife before applying liquid nitrogen. Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen is painful. A numbing local anesthetic is usually not needed but may be used in some cases. Your GP applies the liquid nitrogen to the wart using a probe or a cotton swab. Liquid nitrogen can also be sprayed directly on the wart. 

Most warts require 1 to 4 treatments, with 1 to 3 weeks between each treatment. Usually only one or two treatments are needed for effective wart removal. Cryotherpay is a painless procedure with only a slight stinging sensation felt during treatment. Follow up treatments may be needed for stubborn warts. 

Natural wart removal 

Home remedies are for many people the first step in trying to remove a wart. Some of these treatments can be successful, but they usually take longer to work or may not work at all. 

One very popular home remedy is apple cider vinegar, as it is probably one of the most effective. Applying apple cider vinegar to the wart will, over time, cause it to turn black and fall off. A full list of natural home remedies can be found on this page. 

apple

Here some natural wart removal tips and tricks. Meanwhile, work on prevention at the same time, avoid walking barefoot, don’t share personal hygiene items, and avoid touching all verrucas, yours and everyone else’s:

  • Boost your immune system. 
  • Stop the spread. 
  • Pineapple. Apply fresh pineapple directly to the wart several times a day. The natural acids and enzymes will help. 
  • Garlic. Mix some fresh garlic with water and apply the paste to the wart. Put a bandage on top. Re-apply every few hours and continue until the wart is gone. 
  • Baking powder. Mix baking powder and castor oil into a paste, apply to the wart at night, and cover with a bandage. Repeat daily. You can also try crushed, fresh basil in the same way, or even mix the two together. 
  • Vitamins. Crush up a vitamin C tablet and mix with water to make a thick paste. Apply to the wart and cover with a bandage. You can also try vitamin E-break a capsule, rub on the wart, and cover
  • Aspirin. Use these like the vitamin C tablet-crush, add a little water, apply the paste to the wart, and cover overnight. Repeat for several nights until gone. 
  • Tea tree oil. Apply directly to the wart, and then cover with the bandage. Repeat daily. You can also mix with clove and/or Frankincense oils for additional power. 
  • Bee propolis. Some people have found success in applying propolis directly to the wart several times a day. Or try applying at night and covering until morning. 
  • Aloe vera. Fresh from the actual plant is best. Break off a leaf and rub the gel onto the wart. Aloe contains malic acid. If you don’t have the plant, get the purest form of aloe you can find. Cover after each application. 
  • Witch hazel, Witch hazel is a strong astringent. To apply the treatment, get pure witch hazel from any health store and apply it directly to your warts. Leave it on for about 10 minutes, after which you can wipe it off with a clean dry cloth. If you follow this regimen twice every day, you should be able to get rid of your genital warts in a couple of weeks! 
  • Essential Oils: clove, lavender, Frankincense. You can even replace castor oil with any of the following oils for roughly the same result: Oregano oil, Vitamin E oil, Lemon oil, Cashew nut oil, Fish oil, Cod liver oil, Wormwood oil, Sandalwood oil, Lemon juice, Aloe vera. 
  • Milkweed (the liquid inside of the stem) Topical application of milkweed juice is a time-honored wart remedy. Many others have also reported success with this native plant.
  • Crushed basil leaves. Basil is enriched with elements of antibacterial and antiviral property. Applying basil leaves on the warts can gradually shrink the warts eventually getting rid of it. This is one of the natural ways for removing warts. Crush few leaves of fresh basil and rub them on the warts. You can also apply the crushed leaves over the warts and cover it with a tape. After few days you can find the warts would flake off giving way for new layer of skin.
  • Banana (scrapings from the inside of the peel) Getting rid of warts has become easier than you think by using banana peel. A small of this peel can be placed over the wart and covered with duct tape. Leave it for few hours. Lemon peel can also be used for covering the warts. 
  • Dandelion milk (the liquid inside of the stem) Break open the stem of a dandelion flower and dab on the white milk from it. Cover with a bandaid to keep it on. Repeat in the evening, then again each morning and night until it’s gone. 
  • Papaya contains an enzyme that digests dead tissue. Make shallow cuts on the surface of an unripe papaya, collect the sap that runs out and let it coagulate. Mix the thickened sap with water, and then apply morning and night. 
  • Raw potato. Here doesn’t seem to be a set reason why, but one of the most common natural remedies for warts you will hear about is rubbing a potato on it. There’s not a whole lot of scientific backing to this theory, but over the centuries people have stuck to it and have found success. It’s worth a shot! An interesting part of the original historical remedy is to bury the potato after use and when you dig it up 2 weeks later it will have a wart on it (and yours will be gone.) That is very much optional. 
  • Onion. is dry and hot in nature. Apply onion juice on warts and leave it on overnight. Do this treatment regularly for at least 15 days. The wart will dry out and fall on its own. 
  • Castor oil. Castor oil has excellent anti-inflammatory property and you can apply few drops of castor oil over the warts. Castor oil does have a very repulsive smell. You can make this treatment a little easier on your nose by mixing castor oil with a bit of peppermint oil. Alternatively you can also use vitamin E oil also. Soak a cotton ball in castor oil and place it on the warts and cover it with a tape. Leave it overnight. By repeating this simple remedy for a week the warts are gone forever. 
  • Carrot and olive oil paste. 
  • Baking soda mixed with vinegar. 
  • Urine (grandmothers cure). 
  • Duct Tape. There is a certain amount of scientific evidence to support the use of Duct Tape in the treatment of verrucas (plantar warts) and warts. A suitable size piece of duct tape is placed over the wart or verruca for around 6 days. [If the tape should fall off, simply replace it with a fresh piece.] Following the 6th day of treatment, immerse the wart or verruca in water. Repeat the process, ensuring around 2 months of continual treatment. 
  • A treatment to consider, especially with children, is faith. My friend Helen told me her father rubbed a coin on her verrucas and told her they would disappear. It worked. Stories abound on the Internet of children being told any number of cures that worked, such as colouring the verrucas. Belief in the cure caused the result. Children are highly suggestible. It’s worth a try. 
  • Birch bark. Dampen a piece of birch bark with water and tape it over your wart with the inner side of the bark facing your skin. The bark contains salicylates, which are found in many over-the-counter wart treatments. 

Apple Cider Vinegar. For this simple procedure, the removal of warts using apple cider vinegar requires just 3 things: Apple Cider Vinegar, Cotton balls or end of Q-tip, plaster or Band-aid. Each night before going to bed soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar, apply it to the wart and then hold it in place with a band-aid. Leave it on all night, or if you like, 24 hours a day but change the soaked cotton and band-aid each evening for a week. The wart will swell and may throb as it reacts with the vinegar and then start to turn black within the first two days and after a week or two will be gone. 

N.B. It is important to continue the treatment for a few days to a week after the wart has fallen off to help ensure it does not come back. Some of these cures are painful. There is a limited scientific evidence to support the use of Duct Tape in the treatment of warts and verrucas (plantar warts). A suitable size piece of Duct tape is placed over the wart or verruca for around 6 days. If the tape should fall off, simply replace it with a fresh piece. Following the 6th day of treatment, immerse the wart or verruca in water. Repeat the process, ensuring around 2 months of continual treatment. 

Here some more natural wart removal tips and tricks. If you have warts, focus on prevention at the same time—avoid walking barefoot, don’t share personal hygiene items and avoid touching warts—yours and everyone else’s. 

 

Treatment for warts on hands or fingers 

Common hand and finger warts are small, grainy skin growths. They are rough to the touch, common warts also often feature a pattern of tiny black dots — sometimes called seeds — which are small, clotted blood vessels. 

Seeds — which are small, clotted blood vessels. 

The goals of treatment are to destroy the wart, stimulate an immune system response to fight the virus, or both. Treatment may take weeks or months. Even with treatment, warts tend to reoccur or spread. Doctors generally start with the least painful methods, especially when treating young children. 

Salicylic acid 

Prescription-strength wart medications with salicylic acid work by removing layers of the wart in stages. Studies show that salicylic acid is more effective when combined with freezing. 

Cryotherapy 

Freezing therapy done at a GP’s office involves applying liquid nitrogen to your wart. Freezing works by causing a blister to form under and around your wart. Then, the dead tissue sloughs off within a week or so. This method may also stimulate your immune system to fight viral warts. You may need more than one treatment. 

Bichloroacetic or trichloroacetic acid 

If salicylic acid or freezing isn’t working, your doctor may try bichloroacetic or trichloroacetic acid. With this method, the doctor first shaves the surface of the wart and then applies the acid with a wooden toothpick. It requires repeat treatments every week or so. Side effects are burning and stinging. 

Laser 

Laser treatment. Pulsed-dye laser treatment burns (cauterizes) tiny blood vessels. The infected tissue eventually dies, and the wart falls off. The evidence for the effectiveness of this method is limited, and it can cause pain and scarring. 

Treatment for foot warts 

Verrucas (planter warts) and palmer warts will often eventually go away without treatment. If they bother you, however, you can treat common skin warts in a variety of ways. Even if a treatment is successful, the wart can reappear. 

Salicylic acid 

Prescription-strength wart medications with salicylic acid work by removing layers of a wart a little bit at a time. Studies show that salicylic acid is more effective when combined with freezing. 

Cryotherapy 

Freezing therapy done at a GP’s office involves applying liquid nitrogen to your wart. Freezing works by causing a blister to form under and around your wart. Then, the dead tissue sloughs off within a week or so. This method may also stimulate your immune system to fight viral warts. You may need more than one treatment. 

Bichloroacetic or trichloroacetic acid 

If salicylic acid or freezing isn’t working, your doctor may try bichloroacetic or trichloroacetic acid. With this method, the doctor first shaves the surface of the wart and then applies the acid with a wooden toothpick. It requires repeat treatments every week or so. Side effects are burning and stinging. 

Surgery 

Surgery is an option if home treatment and treatment at your doctor’s office have failed. Surgery for warts is usually quick and effective. No single surgical method is more effective than another in removing warts. Generally, doctors start with the surgical method that is least likely to cause scarring. The most common types of surgical treatment for wart removal include: 

Electrosurgery and curettage. Electrosurgery is burning the wart with an electrical current. Curettage is cutting off the wart with a sharp knife or a small, spoon-shaped tool. The two procedures are often used together. 

Laser wart removal 

Laser surgery uses an intense laser light beam to burn the wart tissue and it’s blood supply, thereby destroying the wart. A new type of laser has been developed to treat several different types of skin lesions called the Pulsed Dye Laser. This new laser has promise in the effective treatment of warts. 

Pulsed-dye laser treatment burns closed (cauterizes) tiny blood vessels. The infected tissue eventually dies, and the wart falls off. The wart will naturally fall off after a few weeks. Using laser to remove warts is usually not considered a first choice for wart removal The evidence for the effectiveness of this method is limited, and it can cause pain and scarring. However, it is sometimes used when the warts are widespread, very large or all other treatments have failed. Laser can be used as a last resort treatment for warts. Laser is suitable to treat large areas in one sitting. Laser treatment is considered safe. 

An anesthetic is often needed to numb the area being treated with laser and the treated area will possibly be painful for a few days after the treatment. Five or more treatments may be needed for stubborn warts. It is usually more expensive than other treatments. 

There is little advantage to removing warts with a laser unless the warts are very large (mosaic warts) or there are a large number to be removed. The risks associated with the use of the laser are the same as for cutting the warts out. These risks include infection and the development of scartissue after healing. 

Salicylic acid treatment for warts 

Topical acids can also be a useful means of treating warts. The advantage to this form of treatment is the fact that they are nearly painless and there is no restriction of activity. The down side to this form of treatment is that it frequently requires several treatments and the failure rate is higher than surgical excision of the wart. Meta-analysis on 77 relevant studies showed that combined therapy of salicylic acid and cryotherapy had a higher cure rate than either salicylic acid or cryotherapy alone. The results of the pooled analysis found a cure rate of 58% (38-78%) in the combined cryotherapy and salicylic acid trials. Aside from the use of salicylic acid and aggressive cryotherapy there is insufficient evidence from research to support the use of other therapies. 

A salicylic acid solution: 

Before applying such solution you have to soak the area of the wart in warm water. The procedure softens the skin and the effect of applicated solution will be better; 

Treatment of warts with this acid solution is carried out before going to bed: you must apply it directly to the affected areas; healthy skin should not be exposed to the drug. Then bandage the warts or cover the area with a plaster. In the morning you wash the acid away. After a long-term treatment warts soften under the influence of the drug and can be removed with a pumice stone. 

Salicylic ointment: 

Sixty percent salicylic ointment is also often used to remove warts. For a better effect clear the affected skin with warm water before applying the ointment. Wait until your skin dries out, and only then proceed to the application of ointment. Cover the affected skin with a thin layer of ointment. 

The treated surface should be bandaged, which is why such procedures are usually conducted before going to bed. In the morning you process the wart with a pumice stone. The course of treatment is strictly individual and must be continued until the complete warts disappearance. 

Salicylic acid pads for warts:

This method of treatment is more comfortable compared to the previous ones. In almost any pharmacy you can buy special pads for warts removal. They contain sulfur and salicylic acid. Due to the keratolytic effect of salicylic acid the described pad softens, dissolves and rejects cornified stratum of your skin. 

Before you stick salicylic acid pads for warts on the affected area, you need to steam it and make it dry. The plaster must stay on your skin for two days. Afterwards you remove it and soak the warts in warm water. The softened layers of skin can be gently removed by using pumice. 

Repeat the procedure several times if the warts do not disappear after the first try. 

Trichloroacetic Acid for Warts 

There are several of wart acid removal products nowadays and the most common and effective wart removal is salicylic acid. Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) is often seen too. TCA is also used for cosmetic treatments and tattoo removal. TCA is a clear liquid that is applied by a health care professional once each week on the surface of the wart, until it turns white and shrinks. TCA is also available over-the-counter, in a concentration up to 80% solution, and can be used safely at home. Also available is a weak solution, which is also equally effective in removing warts. 

Patients should make sure that a health care professional or dermatologist is the one applying the TCA, to prevent irritation. Treatment might take at least six to ten weeks for the warts to be completely removed. TCA’s action is usually controlled, and can prevent the danger of scarring of the skin. It is also safe to use in pregnant women, since there are no studies that can verify that it can affect the health of the mother and the baby. 

Trichloroacetic Acid Side Effects on Warts  

Upon application, trichloroacetic acid may cause some mild discomforts. In the treatment, the patient might feel one of the following: 

-Burning sensation, until the solution dries up. 

-Swelling of area, where the TCA is applied. 

-Tenderness of the area. 

-Skin irritation, but not in the whole body. 

Remember to call or go immediately to a dermatologist, when the discomfort felt becomes prolonged or becomes severe. Symptoms such as wheezing, chest tightness, fever, itching, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat and rashes may be severe manifestations. 

Acid treatment for verruca 

Warts and verrucas (plantar warts) come in all shapes and sizes. They can affect any part of the body, but are more common on the hands and feet. There is no difference in treating common warts and verrucas. While you have a wart or verruca, you should also take steps to avoid passing it to others. All these acid treatments work equal on warts and verruca, it’s based on the principal of softening or killing the skin cells that contain the virus and form the wart.  Use a file or pumice stone to remove the old skin regularly.  New skin will grow underneath, this is healthy tissue and free from virus. It’s important to persevere with the treatment. 

Consult a doctor before treating a wart or verruca yourself if you have poor blood circulation, for example because of diabetes or peripheral arterial disease.